A hundred and thirty three doctors, nurses, psychiatrists paramedics and midwives signed the letter released today which states that despite a “complete lack of widespread approval among health professionals,” of the pandemic policies, “no attempt” has been made to measure the harms of lockdown policies. The letter, also addressed to the Health Secretary and First Ministers for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland states: “You have failed to engage in dialogue and show no signs of doing so. You have removed from people fundamental rights and altered the fabric of society with little debate in Parliament.”
The signatories, from a broad range of specialities, came forward despite the risk of doing so to both their jobs and reputations.
Founding signatory Dr Ros Jones, a retired paediatric consultant said: “We wrote the letter as a group of healthcare professionals, connected only by our deep concern and shared commitment to “first do no harm.”
We can no longer stand by in silence. We are not the first group of medically and scientifically qualified professionals to write in such terms to the Government. In March, 22 eminent scientists publicly called for drastic policy change. We sincerely hope we will be the last who feel the need to write such a letter.”
Dr Alan Mordue, another founding signatory said: “To move forward now our governments urgently need to facilitate a wider and open debate within the medical and scientific community, for the short term as we lift restrictions, and the longer term to improve how we manage winter respiratory viruses and pandemics in the future.”
Concerns voiced in the letter include accusations that no Minister responsible for policy “has engaged in an open and full discussion of alternative ways of managing the pandemic,” despite being aware of other medical and scientific viewpoints.
It adds the pandemic response policies have caused “significant, permanent and unnecessary harm” to the UK and “must never be repeated.”
The letter focuses on 10 areas where the UK’s approach to COVID failed. It argues the nature of the covid threat has been exaggerated, it claims the use of behavioural science to generate fear was “inappropriate and unethical” and it argues the role of asymptomatic spread has been overplayed and used to promote public compliance with restrictions.
Finally it states that restrictions have been imposed with an overreliance on modelling data whilst ignoring real world data.
The signatories called for a “sea change within the Government “which must now pay proper attention to those esteemed experts outside its inner circle who are sounding these alarms.”
The signatories include
Dr Jonathan Engler, MB ChB LLB (Hons) DipPharmMed
Professor John A Fairclough, BM BS B Med Sci FRCS FFSEM, Consultant Surgeon, ran vaccination program for a Polio Outbreak, Past President BOSTA, for Orthopaedic Surgeons, Faculty member FFSEM
Mr Tony Hinton, MB ChB, FRCS, FRCS(Oto), Consultant Surgeon
Dr Renee Hoenderkamp, BSc (Hons) MBBS MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Ros Jones, MBBS, MD, FRCPCH, retired consultant paediatrician
Mr Malcolm Loudon, MB ChB MD FRCSEd FRCS (Gen Surg) MIHM VR
Dr Geoffrey Maidment, MBBS, MD, FRCP, retired consultant physician
Dr Alan Mordue, MB ChB, FFPH (ret), Retired Consultant in Public Health Medicine
Mr Colin Natali, BSc(Hons), MBBS FRCS FRCS(Orth), Consultant Spine Surgeon
Dr Helen Westwood, MBChB MRCGP DCH DRCOG, General Practitioner
Other signatories:
Dr Fiona Martindale MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Ian Comaish BM BCh Affiliations: FRCOphth, Consultant Ophthalmologist
Dr Eashwarran Kohilathas BMBS, GP trainee
Dr Kulvinder Manik MBChB, MRCGP, MA(Cantab), LLM, Gray’s Inn, General Practitioner
Dr David Morris MBChB MRCP(Uk) BSEM, General Practitioner
Dr Michael Bell MBChB (1978 Edin) MRCGP (1989), General Medical Practitioner (Retired)
Dr Jessica Robinson BSc.(Hons.) MB. BS. MRCPsych. MFHom, Qualified Doctor, Psychiatrist.
Dr Laura Marshall-Andrews MB MRCPCH DROG MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Rohaan Seth MBChB(hons), BSc(hons), MRCGP(2012), General practitioner
Dr Greta Mushet MBChB MRCPsych, Retired Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy
Dr Carl Simpson MB ChB, MSc, MD, MFPH, FRCGP, FRACGP General Practitioner and Medical Director
Dr S Ferdinando MBBS FRCPsych MSc, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Elizabeth Evans MA(Cantab), MBBS, DRCOG, Retired doctor
Dr Charles Forsyth MBBS, BSEM Independent Medical Practitioner
Dr David T H Williams MB BS BDS FFHom (doctor, holding medical qualification)
Dr Jayne Donegan MMBBS DRCOG DFFP DCH MRCGP MFHom, General Practitioner (Retd)
Dr Jon Rogers MBChB MRCGP, GP (Retd)
Dr Clare Jones MB ChB, General Practitioner
Dr Christopher Wood MBBS MRCPsych Psychiatrist (Retd)
Dr Sue De Lacy MBBS MRCGP MFHOM AFMCP UK Integrative health medical practitioner
Dr Franziska Meuschel MD ND PhD Affiliations: IDF, BSEM, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Julia Wilkens MD FCROG, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Dr Helen Heaton BM BS MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Christopher Boitz MBChB BSc (Hons), General Practitioner
Dr Clare Craig BM BCh FRCPath, Consultant Pathologist
Dr Sebastien Viatte MD, PhD Physician, Immunologist, Genetic Epidemiologist
Mr Jonathan Hobson BM BCh FRCS, Consultant ENT Surgeon
Dr Peter Campbell MB BS, BOA, FRCSEd, BSLM, Orthopaedic Consultant & Lifestyle Medicine Physician
Dr Ashvy Bhardwaj MBBS MRCGP Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Sam White MBChB MRCGP Affiliations: RCGP, ILADS, IFM, ANP, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Gabriella Day MBBS MRCP, DCh, MRCGP, MFHom, General Practitioner
Dr Amanda Herbert MB BS FRCPath, Retired Consultant Pathologist
Dr Haleema Sheikh MBBS, MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Elizabeth Corcoran MBBS MRCPsych
Dr Frank Medford MB ChB Consultant Psychiatrist (locum)
Dr Emma Brierly MB BS MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Sarah Taylor MB BCh MRCPsych Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr Art O’Malley BA, MB, BCh, DCH, MRCGP, MRCPsych, FRCPsych Psychiatric consultant and GP AND Trauma specialist
Dr Nichola Ling MRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician
Dr Theresa Lawrie MBBCh, PhD Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Karen Malone BM(Hons) MRCGP ASLM/BSLM Dip Affiliations: BSLM General Practitioner
Dr Andrew Ling RCOA Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr Christina Peers MBBS, DRCOG, DFSRH, FFSRH GP trained, Consultant in Contraception and Reproductive Health
Dr Pascal Mensah General Practitioner, Member of the British society of Immunology
Dr Charlie Sayer MBBS FRCR Consultant Radiologist
Dr Amir ASHGARI MD, FARCgp, General Practitioner
Dr Mary Walsh MB BCh, General Practitioner
Dr Gerard Hall MBBS FRCP, Consultant Physician
Dr David Jackson BSc MB BCh MRCP FRCR, Consultant Radiologist
Dr Jessica Engler MBChB, BSc (hons), GP Trainee |
Dr Suhail Hussain MBChB, MRCGP, DRCOG, DFFP, PG Dip diabetes, General Practitioner
Dr Polly Keeling MB ChB, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Anastasia Maria Loupis MD, Emergency Medicine Doctor
Dr Sam David MBBS, General Practitioner Dr Jolanta Sliwowska MD, Associate Specialist Anaesthetist
Dr Tony Pearson FRCGP, General Practitioner (Retd)
Dr Stephen Hunter FRCPsych. MMM Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Past MD, NHS Wales
Dr Danielle Fisch BA, MD, CCFP (Certification in the College of Family Physicians)
Dr Elisabeth Clewing Retired General Practitioner
Dr Malcolm Kendrick MbCHB MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Ricky Allen MB BS DRCOG MRCGP, Retired General Practitioner
Dr Arunkumar Patel MBBS, MRCPH (UK) Retired Public Health Consultant
Dr Dean Patterson MB ChB, FRCP, Consultant Physician
Dr Nyjon Eccles BSC, MBBS, MRCP, PhD, Integrated Medicine physician
Dr Sheila Richards MBBS MRCGP, General Practitioner Dr Anna Forbes MBBS BSEM, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr David Crossley MB, BS (1988), FRCA(1993) FFICM(2012), MRCPath(ME), Consultant in anaesthesia and critical care
Dr Liesel Holler MD, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Alistair Holdcroft MBChB DOccMed DAvMed DRCOG, GP and Occupational Medicine
Dr Tehmton Sepai MBChB MFHom MLCOM, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Peter Chan BM, MRCS (2006), MRCGP, General Practitioner
Dr Stefanie Williams Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Dr Robert Powell General Practitioner
Dr Holly Young MBChB, MRCP, BSc, PgCert Med Leadership, Consultant in Palliative Medicine
Dr Gabrielle Budd MBChB and BMedSci(Hons) (Otago), PhD, Doctor (holding medical qualification)
Mrs Diane Bartley RGN GPN Dip diabetes,Dip minor illness,Dip asthma,Dip CHD,Dip family planning, Registered Nurse
Mr John Collis Nurse practitioner (retd)
Mrs Debbie Brotherston RCN, Nurse or Midwife
Ms Elspeth Hill RSCN, RGN, NMC, Nurse or Midwife
Mrs Jo Brimmell NMC, RCN, Nurse or Midwife
Mrs Rosemary Wood RGN, Nurse (retd)
Mr Jake Stanworth Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)
Ms Margret Watson NMC, Community Mental Health Nurse
Mrs Nicola Campbell Former Registered General Nurse
Mr Andy Reynolds Charge nurse A&E
Mrs Leanne Wakters Ex nurse over 20 years experience
Miss Ruth Oram Senior Staff Nurse
Ms Dee norwood Nurse or Midwife (NHS)
Miss Anna Phillips Registered paediatric nurse
Mrs Valerie Palmer State Registered Nurse, Community Nurse
Mrs Gayle Gerry BSc (Hons). RN. General practice nurse
Miss Marianna Henley Registered nurse
Mrs Patricia Chedgzoy Regustered nurse
Ms Wendy Armstrong Practice nurse
Mrs Jill Catling State Registered Nurse (retd)
Ms Rhoda Roberts Registered Mental Nurse, Registered Specialist Practitioner in Community Mental Health Nursing, BSc Nursing in the Community
Ms Patricia Penfold Registered nurse (retd)
Mrs Constance Woodall Registered nurse (retd)
Ms Susan Tapper Registered nurse
Mrs Paula Matthews Registered nurse
Ms Julie O’Neil Registered nurse
Miss Nadia Jejna Registered nurse
Mrs Sarah Knights Registered nurse
Ms Susan McAleney Registered nurse
Miss Susan Forbes Former Mental Health Nurse
Mrs Jacqui Ruby Registered nurse
Mrs Mandy Gardiner School nurse support worker
Mrs Jill Mcdonald Registered Nurse and Cardiac Exercise Instructor
Mrs Karen Moore Registered nurse
Ms Kathryn Weymouth Registered midwife
Mrs Patricia Cragg Registered nurse (retd)
Ms Samantha Simpson Registered nurse
Mrs Kate Blake Registered nurse (retd)
Mrs Moira Pratt Registered nurse
Miss Louise Naylor Registered Adult Nurse
Mrs Marie Hartley Registered community nurse
Mr Jon-Paul Mitchell Registered Mental Health Nurse
Mrs Gillian Dawson Registered Nurse (Neonatal)
Mrs Alma Pierce Registered Nurse
Mrs Catherine Jones Paramedic
Dr Teresa Wilson Paramedic
Mr Bhupesh Maisuria Paramedic
Miss Pauline Kiely Paramedic